'20 points to play for, let's go get 'em': Leeds Tykes chief demands response to 10-try hammering
Leeds Tykes rugby director Pete Seabourne admits the 10-try hammering his side suffered at Dings Crusaders took him by surprise on Saturday - and that a response is required if they are to avoid being sucked back into the National One relegation zone.
Tykes had enjoyed a good run to the end of February, winning four straight and six of seven to move out of the bottom three and into lower mid-table.
But successive defeats to Bishop’s Stortford and Dings have seen them drawn back into the survival battle.
They sit sixth-bottom on 48 points, just four points ahead of Dings who occupy fourth-bottom, a position that requires a relegation play-off at the end of the season.
“We were poor from start to finish, we got five tries which was the only bonus,” said Seabourne of the defeat in Bristol.
“Dings played really well, they threw it about, they put us under pressure. At 19-14 just before half-time I was thinking we’d got away with it a little bit but then they scored right on half-time and at the start of the second half. We weren’t good enough and got what we deserved. I didn’t see it coming at all. We had a couple of injuries, a couple of unavailables.
“Hopefully we get a couple of those back this week and we can have a good go against Tonbridge.”
This coming Saturday’s home game with mid-table Tonbridge Juddians is the last for three weeks and one of just two of their remaining four that can be classed as winnable.
Tykes close the campaign at home to third-placed Blackheath and away at second-placed Plymouth Albion, two teams that are within five points of leaders Rotherham Titans and could still be battling for promotion. “People outside will look at that but for us it’s one game at a time because we can’t control what’s happening elsewhere,” said Seabourne (inset).
“Let’s rip into Tonbridge and then see where we are when we’ve got bodies back fit and we’ve give players a chance to get the rest they’ve earned.
“We’re still looking up, we’re always looking forward. The plan was to stay in this division and hopefully we’ll still do that. We’ve 20 points to play for so let’s go and get them.”